403
Sorry!!
Error! We're sorry, but the page you were looking for doesn't exist.
Italy Expands AI Antitrust Probe of Meta
(MENAFN) Italy's competition regulator has widened its antitrust scrutiny of Meta, warning that recent policy changes for WhatsApp Business subscribers and expanded Meta AI integration threaten to stifle rivals in the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence chatbot sector.
The Autorita Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM) announced Wednesday that WhatsApp Business Solution Terms revised on Oct. 15 effectively bar firms competing with Meta's artificial intelligence offerings from utilizing the WhatsApp platform. According to the watchdog, such restrictions risk cutting off competitors from user bases while hampering technological advancement.
Beyond expanding its existing probe, the Italian authority has launched proceedings to evaluate emergency provisional actions permitted under domestic competition statutes. These preventive measures target both the revised contractual language and newly deployed Meta AI capabilities embedded in WhatsApp.
The regulator cautioned that such modifications could "limit production, market outlets, or technical development in the AI chatbot services sector, to the detriment of consumers," potentially violating Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU—legislation that bars companies from exploiting dominant market power.
AGCM further emphasized that Meta's actions risk inflicting "serious and irreparable" damage to competitive market dynamics. The authority highlighted that users' unwillingness to abandon established messaging applications creates substantial barriers for competing chatbot developers when Meta exploits WhatsApp's massive reach to promote proprietary AI systems.
The Autorita Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM) announced Wednesday that WhatsApp Business Solution Terms revised on Oct. 15 effectively bar firms competing with Meta's artificial intelligence offerings from utilizing the WhatsApp platform. According to the watchdog, such restrictions risk cutting off competitors from user bases while hampering technological advancement.
Beyond expanding its existing probe, the Italian authority has launched proceedings to evaluate emergency provisional actions permitted under domestic competition statutes. These preventive measures target both the revised contractual language and newly deployed Meta AI capabilities embedded in WhatsApp.
The regulator cautioned that such modifications could "limit production, market outlets, or technical development in the AI chatbot services sector, to the detriment of consumers," potentially violating Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU—legislation that bars companies from exploiting dominant market power.
AGCM further emphasized that Meta's actions risk inflicting "serious and irreparable" damage to competitive market dynamics. The authority highlighted that users' unwillingness to abandon established messaging applications creates substantial barriers for competing chatbot developers when Meta exploits WhatsApp's massive reach to promote proprietary AI systems.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Most popular stories
Market Research
More Story
Comments
No comment